5 takeaways from the Miami Heat’s loss to the Knicks
By Cory Sanning
Before heading off on another three-game road trip, the Miami Heat could have used a win. Instead, they fell to the New York Knicks 114-103.
1. Injuries, injuries, injuries…
No doubt, Miami has been one of the more cursed organizations in the NBA when it pertains to health and availability. Dating back to the days of the Big 3, the Heat have struggled to remain 100 percent healthy consistently.
Tonight, Erik Spoelstra and company were without Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, Luke Babbitt, Dion Waiters and James Johnson. Two starters and three rotation players missing at once. Yikes!
Even worse? None are expected to make the upcoming three-game road trip, so it looks like Spoelstra may need to get creative.
2. Anemic free throw shooting continues
For the season, the Heat already rank dead last in free throw percentage, shooting an abysmal 67 percent rate from the stripe. Unfortunately for Miami, their struggles would continue, going just 16-for-27 from the line, giving up a whopping 11 points.
Ironically, the Heat would go on to lose 114-103. All in all, one cannot expect a team to make any noise when missing free throws at the rate Miami does, and if not taken care of soon, this could prove to be detrimental to their already-slim playoff chances.
3. Goran Dragic has found his groove
Hitting on 11 of his 17 field goal attempts, Dragic continued his stellar play of late, dropping a season-high 29 points while dishing out seven assists.
Despite the five turnovers, Dragic was able to connect on all four of his attempts from beyond the arc and even managed to haul in four rebounds in the process.
Finally obtaining the offensive rhythm he’s been longing for, Dragic has no scored 20 or more in three of the past five games, shooting 48 percent from the floor and knocking down 46 percent of his three-point attempts.
Seems like more of a player than a trade asset at this point, eh?
4. Even in defeat, Hassan Whiteside is a walking double-double
While the Heat find themselves at 7-14 and a longshot for the postseason, Whiteside has been a model of consistency in terms of scoring and crashing the glass. Dropping 23 points and 14 rebounds, the young center has heavily increased his case for a spot in the upcoming All-Star game.
Not only does Whiteside lead the league in rebounding at a rate of 14.9 per game, he’s also increased his scoring average by nearly four points and still manages to block 2.6 shots per game.
Indeed, the team success isn’t there, but Whiteside has definitely lived up to his $98 million price tag so far.
5. Tyler Johnson’s shooting regression continues
After coming out the gates red-hot to start the season, Johnson’s play of late has left many scratching their heads. Over the course of the past month, Johnson is shooting just 39.7 percent from the field, certainly not what Pat Riley expected when he inked the young off guard to a 4 year, $50 million deal this summer.
The worst part is, Johnson isn’t fairing any better on his three-point attempts, which sits at an abysmal rate of 29.5 percent.
Needless to say, with injuries piling up and playoff hopes slipping away already, it’s time for Johnson to step up and prove why the Heat put so much faith into him.
Next: Has Ellington, McRoberts earned starting roles?
Miami (7-14) will travel north to face the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow night at 7:30 PM ET.